Nelson Motta
Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília – The Foreign Ministers of the Core Group, Brazil, Chile, Canada, Argentina, the United States and France discussed the situation in Haiti yesterday via telephone and agreed to support the maintenance of the February 7 date for elections, with a new government to take office on March 29. It is possible that representatives of the Core Group will meet next week with Haitian officials to express their support and willingness to provide material aid for the election (Brazil has already donated US$1 million in election equipment to Haiti).

The ministers also rejected attacks on the UN force in Haiti by groups opposed to political stability in that country.

Meanwhile Brazil has submitted the name of general José Elito Carvalho de Siqueira to the UN as the new commander of the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah).

The body of the former Minustah commander, the Brazilian general, Urano Bacellar, is expected to arrive in Brazil today. He will be buried in Rio de Janeiro tomorrow.

Tanslation: Allen Bennett